The invention relates to a device for the formation of a train of underlapping sheet-like articles and more particularly for the formation of an overlapped stream during conveying sheets cut by a preceding transverse cutter device from a web of paper to a feed table of a paper processing machine. The device comprises a holding up device arranged over a belt arrangement and with which the trailing part of successively moving articles is able to be moved into engagement with the formation of an inlet gap for the respectively following article, and more particularly by means of an associated lifting device, is able to be brought into engagement, and a draw off device following the belt arrangement, the draw off device being adapted to be driven at the same speed as the overlapped stream.
A device of this type has been described in German patent publication 2,902,447 C3. In the case of this known device the holding up device only comprises a stationary suction box. In the case of the belts of the belt arrangement placed underneath the suction box it is a question of simple conveying belts, on which the sheets to be conveyed are simply rested under their own weight. Here there is no positive entrainment of the sheets. The holding up device in the form of a stationary suction box may in this case therefore only come into operation when the respective sheet has already been gripped by the following draw off device and accordingly has been slowed down to the speed of the overlapping stream. Therefore there is the danger of the sheet which is practically pushed along by the belt arrangement, running at a high speed onto the drawing off device, something which would lead to damage of the leading edge of the sheet and to irregular operation. This risk becomes increasingly serious with a greater speed of the machine. Furthermore in the known arrangement there is the danger of relative movement between the belts of the belt arrangement and the sheets simply resting thereon under their own weight, this also being a likely cause of troubling conditions and damage, more particularly in the case of high machine speeds.